Cab driver shot to death in eastern New Orleans

A man was shot to death inside a cab early Monday in eastern New Orleans, police said. The man was identified as Ali Husnain, 44, said John Gagliano, chief investigator for the New Orleans coroner's office.

Javaid KhalidAli Husnain was shot to death in his United cab early Monday Morning.

Police received a call of "unknown trouble" in a parking lot behind an apartment complex in the 6000 block of Downman Road, near the intersection of Babyon and South Hermes streets, about 5:30 a.m., said Officer Garry Flot, a Department spokesman.

Officers found the man in the driver's seat of the cab with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead on the scene, Flot said.

It appeared that the victim had been robbed, but Flot could not confirm that anything was taken.

John McCusker, The Times-PicayunePolice are on the scene of a murder in eastern New Orleans near the intersection of Babylon and South Hermes steets where a United Cab driver was shot to death early Monday.

The victim drove for United Cabs and leaves a wife and nine-year-old daughter, according to his uncle, Javaid Khalid, 45, himself a driver for American Taxi. Khalid said the family moved here from Portland, Ore., about five years ago. Husnain has been driving a cab since he arrived, though he was trained as a computer engineer. He was planning to go to the University of New Orleans in the near future, Khalid said.